Given the Chance
by Scifiroots
Summary: Tia Dalma offers Will an opportunity... MAJOR SPOILERS FOR DEAD MAN'S CHEST PreWillJack. Implied JackElizabeth.


Given the Chance...

By Clarity Scifiroots  
Regular disclaimers apply! Song lyrics quoted at the beginning from "What Would Happen" by Meredith Brooks. Dialogue within intended to imitate what's in the movie is not directly.  
**Fandom**: Pirates of the Caribbean**Pairing**: Pre-Will/Jack, implied Jack/Elizabeth

**MAJOR SPOILERS FOR DEAD MAN'S CHEST! Do NOT read unless you've seen it!**

**Summary**: Tia Dalma offers Will an opportunity.  
_Notes_: Did my best to capture Tia's dialect, so please forgive any confusion.

_What would happen if we kissed  
Would your tongue slip past my lips  
Would you run away, would you stay  
Or would I melt into you  
Mouth to mouth, lust to lust  
Spontaneously combust_

_The room is spinning out of control  
Act like you didn't notice  
Brushed my hand  
_

He'd been able to suppress certain emotions from his first adventure with the aide of time. He'd forgotten that the rush of excitement and desire hadn't only come from being on the open seas. And he'd ignored far too long that somewhere along the way Elizabeth had become a consolation prize. Oh, he loved her, but his love was a well-tended flame—it grew neither brighter nor greater.

Now, in the aftermath of his latest ventures, Will didn't even have her. There was nothing to show for his weeks of searching for the _Pearl_, long hours spent in the chilly presence of Davy Jones' otherworldly crew, scores of sacrificed lives, and a ridiculous three-way duel. His father remained in the employ of a bewitched captain who had collected on Jack's debt by claiming both the _Black Pearl_ and the pirate's life. There were only six surviving crew members—excluding Cotton's parrot, including Elizabeth and himself. And Norrington probably had Davy Jones' heart offered on a platter to Beckett by now. All for naught.

In his peripheral vision he was aware of the spectacular display at least a hundred candle flames flickering around the long boat, lit in honor of Jack. He couldn't meet anyone's gaze, so he fixed his stare on Tia Dalma's lair. The small part of himself still clinging to hope whispered that Tia could deliver another option, a new opportunity. He knew there had to be something more, she had implied as much at their previous meeting.

She stood waiting for them on the small dock. It seemed to Will that she only had eyes for him, her stare a silent command singling him out to wait at her side. She murmured something to Gibbs and then to Elizabeth as they passed and then fell silent until the weary group had gone inside. She turned to him and locked his gaze with her yellowed eyes.

"Yer 'eart be despairin', boy," she observed. Will clenched his jaw and swallowed the mix of fear and anger and misery. "Dis is not 'ow i's to end. You 'n de cap'tan 'ave words to say." She turned away, one hand brushing against his arm. "Come in 'n sit wid de crew."

He accepted in silence, eyes downcast as he mulled over her words. His fingers curled instinctively around the hilt of his father's knife and he felt a swell of guilt wash through him. So many failures...

Some time later Tia's voice broke through his cloud of troubled emotions. He was caught by her eager voice and toothy grin as she asked if he—if the _crew_ was willing to travel to the ends of the world to retrieve the _Pearl_ and its captain. Before he could find his voice, Gibbs boldly pledged himself. Pulse pounding against his throat, he pledged as well.

"Den you will need a cap'tan who knows dese waters 'n de devil's luck to navigate yer passage."

Will could hear the first steps of heavy boots on the boards overhead, but for the moment his gaze was again caught by Tia. She stared at him with a smile and he swore he could hear her, _De heart o' Jack Sparrow be strong. You 'ave tempted it, ken you mas'da it given de chance?_ His eyes widened and he shivered. Tia looked away, up at the stairs.

The boots descending the spiral steps were disturbingly familiar, the tops brushed by an even more familiar overcoat. As the man came fully into view, Will knew he wasn't the only one gaping in disbelief. Somewhere in the back of his memories he recalled a voice from the past; _"...captained by a man so evil that Hell itself spat him back out."_

He felt Tia's eyes settle on him although he didn't turn to look this time. _De chance is yers, Mas'da Turner._

**Fin**  
July 9, 2006


End file.
